Kindly allow me to reply to the letter titled Political metaphor by Charles Mangion in his capacity as deputy leader of the Malta Labour Party (TMID, 21 February), in which letter he stated that when he accused all Maltese Nationalists of being of an inferior DNA he had no intention of being literally understood.

One can ask whether, when Dr Alfred Sant called his opponents hamalli (scum), tigieg (hens) and/or sriep (vipers), even these words were only to be metaphorically understood.

Maltese Socialists never change and Mr Mangion was only conducting a damage limitation exercise.

Edward Torpiano

Floriana